The power of youth | Connect4Climate

September 01, 2015

This initiative celebrates the power of youth. Global citizens under-30 are inheriting a hotter, more unpredictable climate that has enormous implications for the future. But they also have the power to change the course of history at the polls—and the energy, drive, and creative force to carry out any mandate they deem important.

Connect4Climate uses competitions to raise awareness about climate change and engage youth worldwide in the climate change conversation. Connect4Climate’s successful competitions include the Africa competition, Voices4Climate, iChange, and Action4Climate.

Inspiring youth to engage in the climate discussion

#Youth4Climate is a social media campaign organized by a flotilla of partners to inspire young people around the world to take action on climate change. Today’s youth are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change and the last that can do something about it.

Why does climate change education matter?

As the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change says in Article 6, education contributes to the solutions being developed to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change.

“The solutions to climate change are also the paths to a safer, healthier, cleaner and more prosperous future for all. To see this and to understand what needs to be done requires a sharp and sustained focus on education, training and public awareness in all countries and at all levels of government, society and enterprise.”

Key points on why climate change education matters:

- Long-term, independent records from weather stations, satellites, ocean buoys, tide gauges, and many other data sources all confirm that our nation, like the rest of the world, is warming. Scientists who study climate change confirm that these observations are consistent with significant changes in Earth’s climatic trends. (U.S. National Climate Assessment, 2014)

- Over the 21st century, climate scientists expect Earth’s temperature to continue increasing, very likely more than it did during the 20th century. Two anticipated results are rising global sea level and increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves, droughts, and floods. These changes will affect almost every aspect of human society, including economic prosperity, human and environmental health, and national security. (USGCRP Climate Literacy, 2009)

- Climate change will bring economic and environmental challenges as well as opportunities, and citizens who have an understanding of climate science will be better prepared to respond to both. (USGCRP Climate Literacy, 2009)

- Society needs citizens who understand the climate system and know how to apply that knowledge in their careers and in their engagement as active members of their communities. (USGCRP Climate Literacy, 2009)

- Climate change will continue to be a significant element of public discourse. Understanding the essential principles of climate science will enable all people to assess news stories and contribute to their everyday conversations as informed citizens. (USGCRP Climate Literacy, 2009)

The #Youth4Climate social media campaign is an effort led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Department of Energy, the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), the CLEAN Network, The Wild Center, the World Bank Group’s global partnership program Connect4Climate, Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy, Alliance for Climate Education, Earth Day Network, Climate Interactive, and others. It is an open discussion for all to join the youth call for climate action.